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C1 & C2 Zoning Code - New York City

What is a C1 or a C2 Zoning District?

C1 & C2 (C1-1, C1-2, C1-3, C1-4, C1-5) & (C2-1, C2-2, C2-3, C2-4, C2-5) - C1-1 through C1-5 and C2-1 through C2-5 districts are mapped as commercial overlays within residence districts. They are mapped along streets that serve the local retail needs of the surrounding residential neighborhood, and are found exclusively throughout the city's lower- and medium-density areas, and occasionally in higher-density areas.

Typical retail uses include grocery stores, restaurants and beauty parlors, catering to the immediate neighborhood. C2 districts permit a slightly wider range of uses--such as funeral homes and repair services--than C1 districts. In mixed residential/commercial buildings, commercial uses are limited to one or two floors and must always be located below the residential use.

When commercial overlays are mapped in R1 through R5 districts, the maximum commercial floor area ratio is 1.0; when mapped in R6 through R10 districts, the maximum commercial FAR is 2.0. Unless otherwise indicated, the depth of overlay districts ranges from 100 to 200 feet.

Overlay districts are distinct from other commercial districts in that residential bulk is governed by the residence districts within which the overlay is mapped. All other commercial districts that permit residential use are assigned a specific residential district equivalent. However, when residences are constructed in any commercial district, certain regulations that apply in residence districts are waived, such as front and side yard requirements.

Generally, the lower the numerical suffix, the more off-street parking is required. For example, in C1-1 districts, typically mapped in outlying areas of the city, a large food store would require one parking space for every 100 square feet of floor area, whereas no parking would be required in C1-5 districts, which are well served by mass transit.

Other C1 & C2 (C1-6, C1-7, C1-8, C1-9) & (C2-6, C2-7, C2-8) - C1-6 through C1-9 and C2-6 through C2-8 districts are commercial districts that are predominantly residential in character. They are mapped along major thoroughfares in medium- and higher-density areas of the city. As in overlay districts, typical retail uses include grocery sores, small dry cleaners, restaurants, and local clothing stores that cater to the daily needs of the immediate neighborhood. There are only minor differences between C1 and C2 districts, with a slightly wider range of uses permitted in C2 districts, such as funeral homes and local repair services. In buildings with residential uses, commercial uses are limited to one or two floors and must always be located below the residential use.

The maximum commercial floor area ratio is 2.0. Residential uses are governed by a specific residential district equivalent. For example, in C1-6 districts, the bulk regulations of R7 districts are followed for residential uses, and in C2-8A districts, the bulk regulations or R10A districts apply. Since these districts are usually mapped in areas well served by mass transit, no parking is generally required.

Properties located in a C1 & a C2 Zoning District

We have hand-picked several properties located in a C1 & a C2 zoning district in one of the five boroughs of New York: Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, the Bronx.

Most of our property reports come with an exterior building photo, together with highly detailed information on the property.

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